New 2 me Hawkin kit and have questions

[ballandcap]

This is my first post on this forum so first off hello all. I have a Thompson Center Hawkins
.50 cal kit that I just finished. It was my dads that I inherited that he did not finish. The date on the manual says 1978. Finished it finally this week and took it shooting yetserday. This was the most fun I have had in a while and opened my whole world up to what I have been mising!
I used .495 Hornady lead balls, no. 11 CCI caps, .010 pre lubed patches, and 60 grains of Hodgen Pyrodex RS. I have some questions on this. Shot very well at 50 yards within 2" groups which was much better than I had anticipated not knowing what to expect from a round patched projectile. Went to 100 yards and was within 2-5" of center. The wind was awful and by this time had 15+ shots and gun was probably dirty.
First the patch shows what the manual refers to as "burned out" not the x on the patch that shows an "efficient patch". The .010 does seem thin. The brand of patches Cabelas 100% cotton pre lubed. 2nd the CCI cap seems to slip on too easy onto the knight Red Hot .75mm stainless nipple. If I turn gun sideways the cap just falls off, shouldn't this be tight? I can't hunt like this because it won't be there when I need to shoot. I have a Turkey hunt this coming weekend and really want to take a Turkey with this gun.
Was also wondering what loads and grains of powder you all were using that were proving to be the most accurate results, in a round ball. I was very happy with what I experienced for the first time, would have liked tighter groups at 100 yards, but concidering my first time and up to 40 mph crosswinds I was pretty happy. Thank you all in advance and any tips and suggestions is what I need.

 

[faw3]

Try a .490 and 015 on the patch, your useing one to thin unless you spit on it before fireing and se if thats what it is ( patch not lubed right) Your going to have to work your load out, every one like something different. The book call for what I said above and 70grs for target work and 90 to 110 for big game. You got a lot to work with and lots of stuff on here and the closed "loading" part a few lines down, just look back on this page a few months and the other and lots of guys willm help ys here that have those ( I got a nice Rengade on here but put a drop in 58 cal barrel so I cant help ya on 50 loads.) Fred :hatsoff: You might want to put the stock nipple back on, never had a cap falloff mine.

 

[MercerLake]

:v Try pinching the cap slightly to tighten it on the nipple. This will stop it from falling off, but it can allow moisture to seep in while hunting. The fix that works for me is to gradually file the top of the nipple down, it's tapered, until the cap fits tightly. This results in a nearly water tight seal of the cap on the nipple. If you remove too much metal from the nipple that cap will be above the nipple and may misfire. So go slow with the file and keep the end of the nipple squared with the hammer face.
Also a .015" patch or better lube will eliminate the burnt/ blown patch problem. :v

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I have been shooting a .50 cal Thompson Center Hawken for over thirty years. I love that rifle. Try using the .490 balls and plain old pillow ticking for your patch and a good lube. Try using 50 or 60 grains of powder at 50 yards and see how that works out for you. As for filing the nipple, I don't think i would advise that unless the nipple is worn or you have failure to fire the caps. Pinch the caps slightly to keep them from falling off if that is the trouble. :thumbsup:

 

[Brik847]

try pillow ticking for your patch - you'll be happy

 

[roundball]

This is my first post on this forum so first off hello all. I have a Thompson Center Hawkins
.50 cal kit that I just finished. It was my dads that I inherited that he did not finish. The date on the manual says 1978. Finished it finally this week and took it shooting yetserday. This was the most fun I have had in a while and opened my whole world up to what I have been mising!
I used .495 Hornady lead balls, no. 11 CCI caps, .010 pre lubed patches, and 60 grains of Hodgen Pyrodex RS. I have some questions on this. Shot very well at 50 yards within 2" groups which was much better than I had anticipated not knowing what to expect from a round patched projectile. Went to 100 yards and was within 2-5" of center. The wind was awful and by this time had 15+ shots and gun was probably dirty.
First the patch shows what the manual refers to as "burned out" not the x on the patch that shows an "efficient patch". The .010 does seem thin. The brand of patches Cabelas 100% cotton pre lubed. 2nd the CCI cap seems to slip on too easy onto the knight Red Hot .75mm stainless nipple. If I turn gun sideways the cap just falls off, shouldn't this be tight? I can't hunt like this because it won't be there when I need to shoot. I have a Turkey hunt this coming weekend and really want to take a Turkey with this gun.
Was also wondering what loads and grains of powder you all were using that were proving to be the most accurate results, in a round ball. I was very happy with what I experienced for the first time, would have liked tighter groups at 100 yards, but concidering my first time and up to 40 mph crosswinds I was pretty happy. Thank you all in advance and any tips and suggestions is what I need.

I've always used Hornady .490s + TC's prelubed .018" pillow ticking patches in my TC .50cals.

TC's caplock nipples are 1/4x28...I hope you didn't ruin the threads of the nipple seat by screwing in that metric nipple you mentioned...get TC's Hot Shot 1/4x28 nipple and you'll solve the CCI loose cap problem.

 

[bwhoffman]

I think all the ideas and thoughts I had have been addressed! good work group!

lets see....smaller ball, thicker patch, correct nipple, pinch the cap...
oh ya, try real black powder if its available to you!

 

[chapmans]

I aggree with all of the above, the most accurate load I've found is 65 gr ffg with a .490 ball with pocket drill patch. Pocket drill is 100% cotton, as is pillow ticking, but has a tighter weave, what I use measures .017" thick.
Longball 58

 

[bart_anastasi]

ON my caps if i press just a bit harder I can feel then snap on to the nipple. They dont fall off that way

 

[Stormrider51]

Welcome to the world of muzzleloading! I think you will like it. Muzzleloaders, properly loaded and used within their limitations, in the hands of a marksman will shoot at least as well as modern cartridge rifles. The limitations I mentioned are velocity and consequently range. Let it be what it is and don't try to magnumize it. You will both be happy.

Storm

 

[nw_hunter]

Welcome to the group! Sounds like all of your questions have been answered :thumbsup: I took my first turkey with a 50 cal ML.roundball about 30 yrs ago.What a hoot! Think I'll try it again this year with a 62 smoothbore :wink:

 

[Dillohide]

For hunting you can slice a wine cork into wafers. The fake rubber corks work best. Make the slices thick enough so the cap is well padded from the hammer. Put the wafer over the cap and ease the hammer down on it. When you cock the hammer the wafer falls out and the cap is still there ... boom dead deer. Also keeps moisture out while you're sitting out in the elements.

 

[larkinmusic]

This is my first post on this forum so first off hello all. I have a Thompson Center Hawkins
.50 cal kit that I just finished. It was my dads that I inherited that he did not finish. The date on the manual says 1978. Finished it finally this week and took it shooting yetserday. This was the most fun I have had in a while and opened my whole world up to what I have been mising!
I used .495 Hornady lead balls, no. 11 CCI caps, .010 pre lubed patches, and 60 grains of Hodgen Pyrodex RS. I have some questions on this. Shot very well at 50 yards within 2" groups which was much better than I had anticipated not knowing what to expect from a round patched projectile. Went to 100 yards and was within 2-5" of center. The wind was awful and by this time had 15+ shots and gun was probably dirty.
First the patch shows what the manual refers to as "burned out" not the x on the patch that shows an "efficient patch". The .010 does seem thin. The brand of patches Cabelas 100% cotton pre lubed. 2nd the CCI cap seems to slip on too easy onto the knight Red Hot .75mm stainless nipple. If I turn gun sideways the cap just falls off, shouldn't this be tight? I can't hunt like this because it won't be there when I need to shoot. I have a Turkey hunt this coming weekend and really want to take a Turkey with this gun.
Was also wondering what loads and grains of powder you all were using that were proving to be the most accurate results, in a round ball. I was very happy with what I experienced for the first time, would have liked tighter groups at 100 yards, but concidering my first time and up to 40 mph crosswinds I was pretty happy. Thank you all in advance and any tips and suggestions is what I need.

Wow, I also finished a T/C Hawken this week that I inherited from my dad. I haven't been able to take it to the range yet but look forward to it.

 

[Bud Jenks]

I bought a product called Blue & Gray cap guard (cap size #11)when I got my ML in 1991
It's about 1/8” long slides over the cap and nipple helps hold the cap to the nipple and might provide a moisture seal between the cap and nipple. I only use them when hunting and don't know if they are still available for sale.There were 50 in the pkg. and looks like they are made out of pvc ????
Address on the pkg. is R.D. 6 box 362 Wellsboro PA. 16901

 

[Yagee]

Hi ballandcap.

I had a similar problem on an Investarm .54, the #11 cap kept falling off so I pinched them an they were fine. After a few hundred hammer blows the nipple will peen down a bit and they'll fit better. You can also try a #10 cap ( usually used on an Old Army Pistol ) it worked great on my .54 rifle.
The above info. is what I got on this forum, and as usual the info. worked for me.
Welcome to a group of friendly and knowledgable people.

Yagee :thumbsup:

 

[zukeeper1]

put a musket nipple on there and shoot musket caps, easier to handle , much hotter and stay on :wink:

 

[ballandcap]

Thank you for the responses guys. I do not have the orig nipple so I went to Cabelas and could not get help so I unscrewed a nipple out of a cabelas brand Hawkin rifle and the nipple was a metric thread so I assumed it would fit mine. It actually screwed in very easlily with my fingers so I assumed it was fine. After the responses I stopped by tonight and grabbed a 1/4-28 nipple and fit snug and threads seem fine. With the new nipple the cap fit a bit snugger. I started with the easiest advice above and simply pressed down on the cap and fits snug now. That was toooo easy. I will play with the loads, and try the smaller ball and thicker patch. Thanks again all.

 

[bucktales]

TC's caplock nipples are 1/4x28...I hope you didn't ruin the threads of the nipple seat by screwing in that metric nipple you mentioned...get TC's Hot Shot 1/4x28 nipple and you'll solve the CCI loose cap problem.

Agree, as roundball said, I hope the threads aint buggered up.

 

[Little Wattsy]

put a musket nipple on there and shoot musket caps, easier to handle , much hotter and stay on :wink:

DITTO!! :thumbsup:

 

[paulmarcone]

put a musket nipple on there and shoot musket caps, easier to handle , much hotter and stay on :wink:

That's what I did on my T/C Hawken. I got the musket nipples from T/C. They fit fine and worked out great. Here's a link to the nipple:

Link